The Wood Library-Museum

Thomas A.C.E. Bottle

In 1866, the English surgeon and obstetrician Robert Ellis (1823-1885) introduced the first inhaler that mixed alcohol, chloroform and ether ( "A.C.E.") The mixture was advocated by Sir Frederic W. Hewitt in the 1890s and 1900s. It was later recognized that the combination was more dangerous than the use of either agent alone.

Specially designed drop bottles for ether and chloroform were first introduced in the 1870s. By the 1890s, the design shown here was known as the "Thomas bottle". A spring inside the cap, and a bayonet catch pin, allowed two settings for administering the drops. The same features helped to keep the cap tightly closed when not in use, to contain the vapor. This example of the Thomas bottle was designed for administering A. C. E. mixtures. It was made by the London instrument maker, Krohne & Sessemann. Because exposure to light degrades chloroform, most chloroform bottles were made of colored glass.

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